Troy and Miranda

A couple of days ago, I received an email from Miranda asking if I was up for guests, namely herself and Troy. OF COURSE! How fun would that be? Tons. I was stinkin' excited!!!

So, Miranda and Troy showed up the night of the 6th (actually the 7th, since it was after midnight) and stay for two nights. I got caught up on everyone (RPCV/'desh) that Miranda knew about. The next day, I introduced them to my family and we went around to various Amish farms searching for strawberries and came home with eggs, maple syrup and a little more gossip. We also saw Shrek the Third and walked around Ada (it wasn't that big of a walk). They left this morning for St. Louis and then to New Orleans. Keep your fingers crossed that they keep safe.

But what leads me to write about this visit is how much I do enjoy having folks show up and letting me cook them breakfast and just visiting away the time. That is one of the good things I really believe that I learned from PC. It was also good to remember some of the better times that we had in the 'desh. It is so easy to dwell on the negative, that the good can be dwarfed in your memory.

the great hardin co talking tour - latest installment

Hello. My name is bideshigirl and I will talk for long periods of time this evening about my 3 years in the 'desh. Here are the highlights:

• I was very white in a very brown country
• The food is generally in baby pooh colors eaten with rice and your right hand
• You don't want to know what you do with your left hand
• I came home with head lice once and pin worms the second time
• Giardia isn't a bad intestinal parasite to have
• Tapeworms are
• You can beat children there and they offer the stick to do it
• 'Desh is the most corrupt country in the world, 5 years running (TI)
• In political chaos currently (ok, moreso than normal)
• The clothing is very bright and colorful
• Yep, 85% of the country is Muslim
• Yep, it floods yearly and if they're unlucky, twice a year

Those were the highlights. Thanks for snacks and decaf coffee afterwards. It's been pleasant.